Sparks
by CaptainSwanLuver
Summary: Emma and Killian travel to the Enchanted Forest in search of the magical sapling created by their first spark of true love atop the beanstalk.


**Spoilers:** Brief mention of sneak peak and press release for 6x08

 **Note** : So as soon as I saw the whole magical sapling created by the first spark of true love, I thought of Emma and Killian's. And I figured they must have had their own spark up on that beanstalk. Would love to see something like this on the show. Hope you enjoy it! ~Steph

 **...Sparks: Part 1/1…**

Killian walked into the bathroom, his eyes landing on Emma, who stood in front of the mirror staring at her reflection.

He came to stand behind her and moved to embrace her. "Are you okay, Swan?"

Emma smiled as his arms enveloped her. "I'm better now."

Killian kissed her cheek and then their eyes met in the mirror. "May I ask what is troubling you?"

Emma reached down to her waist and took his hand in hers. She led them out of the bathroom and into their bedroom. She sat down on the bed and he sat down beside her, their hands remaining entwined.

"It's been two weeks, Killian. My parents have been dealing with this terrible sleeping curse for two weeks now."

"Aye, I am sure it must be very difficult for them."

"That's just it. It is, but they're adjusting. I know they're just trying to make the best of a bad situation, but they've come up with this routine. They leave notes for each other and video messages. I don't know. It's almost like they think it's going to be like this forever."

"Love, you know your parents. They never give up. They're simply dealing with this the only way they know how."

Emma met his eyes. "But what if we can't find a way to break the curse, Killian? What if I never get to be with my both parents at the same time again? What if my little brother has to grow up never knowing what it's like to have his family all together?"

Killian squeezed her hand in his. "Remember the story, Emma. True love can overcome anything. And your parents' story is far from over."

Emma smiled sweetly. "How do you do that?"

Killian cocked a brow. "Do what?"

"Always know exactly the right thing to say to make me feel better?"

He chuckled. "It's just one of my many gifts."

Emma lifted her hand and brushed it against his cheek. "Thank you," she whispered.

Killian leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her lips.

When they parted, her eyes scanned his face. "You know, you forgot a part of the story."

"Is that right?"

Emma nodded. "Yes. My parents found me and then I found you. We found each other. We always have and we always will, just like them."

A smile curled his lips, as he bobbed his head. "Aye, that's right, love. And it's rather interesting that you bring that up now because I've been thinking about what we can do to imprison the Evil Queen and I believe I've come up with an idea."

Emma arched her brow. "You have? Trapping her in the mirror already failed and she destroyed the magical sapling created by my parents' first spark of true love."

"What if we could find another sapling created from a first spark of true love?"

Emma's brow furrowed. "How? Blue said they're very rare. I wouldn't have the first clue where to look."

Killian smiled as he waggled his eyebrows. "Ah, but I do."

"Where?"

His smile widened as he focused on her eyes. "Atop the beanstalk in the Enchanted Forest."

Emma's mouth hung open for a long moment, before giving way to a grin. "Wait, you think that we had a first spark of true love up on the beanstalk, which created a magical sapling?"

Killian nodded. "Aye, love, I think it's highly possible." He paused and then grinned, his eyes darkening with desire. "I know I felt sparks up on that beanstalk. Didn't you?"

Emma felt her cheeks redden as she nodded. "I denied it for a long time, but I felt something. To be honest, I felt something quite a few times up on that beanstalk. But none more so than when you used that talented mouth of yours to bandage my hand."

He cocked a brow. "My thought exactly. I believe that's where our sapling will be."

Emma's lips turned downward. "But even if you're right, we have no way of getting to the Enchanted Forest, Killian."

"Portals seem to be much easier to come by these days. I think we can and will find a way."

Emma smiled and then pressed her lips to his. "Okay," she whispered.

…

As predicted, Regina was able to open a portal to the Enchanted Forest the following day and soon Emma and Killian were standing at the foot of the beanstalk.

"You were right," she said, looking over at him with a smile.

"I'm always right, love. I'm afraid you're going to have to be more specific."

"You never forget your first," she replied.

Killian chuckled and nodded, before leaning over to place a kiss on her cheek. "Be careful."

"You too," she said.

They each took a deep breath and began their climb. Luckily, Regina had provided them with magical cuffs again to aid in the task. They were about a quarter of the way up before either of them spoke as they were so focused on their journey.

"Back then, did you ever imagine we'd end up here? I mean, in love and living together. Building a life," she asked, looking over at him.

Killian offered her a crooked grin. "Well, Swan, I can't say I was encouraged when you held a knife to my throat."

She laughed. "Yeah, sorry about that."

He stopped climbing for a moment and met her gaze. "I remember thinking as we were climbing that you'd been hurt terribly in your life, just as I had been. I could see it in your eyes. I knew we had more in common than you wanted to admit. I knew we had a connection."

"You scared me, Killian. Because you could read me right away. It was like I had known you for years. I didn't know how to deal with that."

"Is that why you lied about having never been in love?"

She nodded. "Yes. But I realize now, I was right all along. I hadn't been in love, not truly, until you. You helped me see what love could and should be."

Killian offered her a warm smile. "And you did the same for me."

Emma returned his smile before they continued their climb.

…

They finally reached the top of the beanstalk. As they paused to catch their breath, Killian noticed Emma trying to hide her hand from him.

"Come on, Swan, hand it over. Pun intended."

She shook her head sharply. "No, that rum killed last time. I can't believe I didn't think to wear gloves this time!"

Killian reached out and took her hand in his, as she let out a defeated sigh. There was a cut across her palm, much like the one she'd gotten the first time. He pulled a scarf out of his pocket that he had brought for just this situation. He was about to wrap her hand when Emma's other hand came up. She waved it over the cut and it immediately healed.

She grinned. "I almost forgot. I have magic now. No rum necessary."

Killian's face fell as he released her hand. "How dare you deprive me of the privilege of tending to your wound, Swan."

"Didn't need you this time. Sorry," she replied with a smirk.

Killian bobbed his head. "Ah, but you needed me then. And when I took your hand in mine and used my mouth to bandage it, our gazes held. You knew deep down that this was the start of something, didn't you?"

Emma sucked in a deep breath. "Yes," she replied softly.

He smiled gently, as he took her hand in his again, his thumb gently running over her palm. "As did I. Until then, I thought I knew how my story would go. I would exact revenge on the Crocodile and then it didn't much matter what followed. I would have reached my goal. But when we touched and I looked into your eyes, I knew everything was about to change. I knew, in some ways, that my story was just beginning. Our story."

A smile pulled at her lips. "There were sparks, alright," she said, nodding her head and then looking down.

Killian followed her gaze. Right between them, poking up out of the stone, was a magical sapling.

Killian smiled at her as he met her eyes. "Our true love created that," he whispered.

Emma nodded, as she knelt down before it. "It did," she replied softly, staring at it in awe.

Killian lowered himself to the ground too. Their gazes held as they both reached out and touched the sapling. Suddenly, before their eyes, their love story played out. Their first meeting. Their time right here on the beanstalk. Killian turning his ship around. Their first kiss. Their first dance. Killian admitting he traded his ship for her, followed by their first real kiss. Their first date. Their first I love you. Losing each other and finding each other over and over again. Emma asking Killian to move in with her. Their first time making love. Every hug, every kiss. Every hand hold. Every important moment played out right before their eyes.

When they ended, Emma and Killian stared at each other in shock.

"That was incredible," Emma said softly.

"Aye," he breathed.

Emma took a deep breath, as she gave the sapling a yank and it came out of the ground. They slowly stood and stared at it.

"Do you really think we can use this to imprison the Evil Queen?" she asked.

Killian nodded. "That I do. Our love has proven that it is capable of overcoming anything, even death. And it created that. There's nothing it can't do."

Emma smiled. "I hope you're right."

Killian cocked his head to the side. "As I said earlier, Swan, I'm always right."

Emma rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "I think that's a bit of an exaggeration."

"Is it?" he asked, raising his brow. "Because I was right about us making a great team. And I was right about how you needed to try trust for a change."

Emma swallowed roughly, as her expression grew somber. "I don't think I ever apologized for leaving you up here."

"It's okay, love. I didn't deserve your trust then."

"I had started to feel something for you and that scared me. If I thought that there was more to you than a ruthless pirate, then I knew I'd be in trouble. It wasn't about you, Killian. It was about me."

"It matters not now. A lot has changed since then," he said.

Emma shook her head. "Not everything. I still get afraid and that causes me to push the people I care about away. When I had my vision, it wasn't about not trusting you, Killian. It was about being scared of losing my future with you. Telling you about it would have made it too real."

Killian nodded. "Aye, love, I understand." He paused and took a deep breath. "The first time I saw you again after you left me atop this beanstalk, I was prepared to hate you. I hadn't felt anything more than pain or anger or hate for so many years. I saw you trapped behind those bars and I said that you were like the magic bean. Something that was once magical, full of hope, and possibility was now dried up, dead, and useless."

Emma sucked in a ragged breath, remembering the sting of his words and the look of hurt in his eyes when he had said them to her.

"I remember," she replied softly, as she lowered her eyes to the ground.

Killian brought his hand to her chin and lifted her head so that their gazes met. "I said those words because you were the first person since Milah who had made me feel more than pain or anger or hate and then you left me. I felt something while up here with you, Emma. Something inexplicable, something incredible, something magical. And now I know it was because we were true love." He paused, shaking his head. "But I don't believe I have ever said words that were less true. You, Swan, can do anything. And that's why I believe you will find a way to break your parents' curse and you will overcome your vision."

Emma felt a tear slip down her cheek, as he cupped her face and pressed a kiss to her lips. He pulled back a moment later, but kept his forehead touching hers.

Emma smiled. "I have something now that I didn't back then. I have you. We're going to beat this together. Because you were right from the beginning, we do make a great team."

Killian offered her a grin, before taking her hand in his. "Let's go home."

…

This time, the Evil Queen wasn't able to get her hands on the magical sapling. Emma and Killian had taken her by surprise, catching her in a rare vulnerable moment after speaking with Henry. It only took one wave of her hand and Emma had trapped the Queen in an impenetrable prison made of vines. No magic could free her.

She stuck her arm through one hole and snarled at them. "You think you've won. But nothing can stop me. I will find a way out of this and then I am coming after you and your one-handed love. Everyone knows you're living on borrowed time anyway. Enjoy your happy ending while it lasts."

Killian looked at Emma. He placed his hand in hers and squeezed, offering her a reassuring smile.

Emma returned the smile and then leveled the Queen with a steely glare. "You have spent years trying to destroy me and my family and you have yet to succeed. I have hope on my side. I have love on my side. And they will always beat hate."

Killian felt his heart fill with pride at he stared at his true love. Emma took a deep breath, squeezed his hand this time, and then led the way toward home.

…

Emma and Killian stood in their backyard, the magical sapling in Emma's hand.

"Are you sure about this, love?" he asked.

Emma nodded. "Yes, it belongs here with us. I want to see if it can grow now that it's where it belongs."

They knelt down and Killian made a hole in the ground with his hook. Together, he and Emma placed the magical sapling in the ground. Suddenly, there was a flash before their eyes. It was like before, but instead of moments from the past, it was moments yet to be. It was from their future.

Killian proposing to Emma. Their wedding. The birth of their children. Happy, normal, mundane moments spent here in their home as a family.

They pulled back from the sapling and their eyes met, wide with shock.

"Did you-...?" she began.

"Aye," he replied with a nod.

Emma smiled. "It was of the future, Killian. Moments we have yet to share. Moments with our children."

A grin spread across his lips. "You know what that means, don't you, Swan?"

Emma slowly nodded, as her mouth curled into a smile. "My fate will change somehow. I'm going to live. We have a future together. The sapling showed us our love story and it is far from over."

Killian grinned as he leaned forward, cupping her face in his hand and pressing a kiss to her lips.

…

 **~8 Years Later~**

"She's going to fall, Killian," Emma said worriedly, as she watched their five year old daughter climb the tree.

He put his arm around his wife's shoulders and kissed her temple. "She's brave and strong like her mother. She'll be fine."

Emma watched, biting at her lip nervously. Eight years ago, they had planted that sapling and now it was a big, strong tree. They had watched it grow at a rapid rate, one that was not normal for most trees. Killian liked to say that it grew like their love: slow at first and then nothing could stop it. Emma liked to say that the tree was like their love: Strong and beautiful.

"Mommy! Daddy! Look at me!" Ruthie called.

Emma and Killian watched as their daughter perched precariously between two branches high up in the air.

"Be careful!" Emma called as she winced.

Killian chuckled. "She's fearless."

Emma turned to her husband. "You're laughing now. Just wait until she's a teenager."

Killian's grin faded. "Ah, Swan, why did you have to ruin the moment?"

It was Emma's turn to laugh. "Sorry, but it's true. She's going to give us a run for our money."

Killian turned toward his wife and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close to him. "Well, love, we've never met a challenge we couldn't overcome. I'm confident that we can handle a teenage girl."

Emma laughed. "Oh, you have no idea what you're in for. Teenage girls make the villains we face look like Santa Claus."

He shook his head. "Not our Ruthie."

Emma arched an eyebrow. "And why not?"

Killian grinned. "Well, because she's the product of true love, of course."

Emma smiled, as she brought her hand up to stroke his cheek. "You're right. That makes her strong and brave and determined."

Killian nodded. "Aye, see. She's different from the rest."

"But you're forgetting that I was also the product of true love and I was hell on two feet as a teenager," she replied with a smirk.

Killian shook his head. "I didn't forget, love. There's one very important difference between you and Ruthie."

"And what's that?"

"You didn't grow up witnessing that true love everyday, being surrounded by it. She will."

Emma smiled and nodded. "You're right. That will make all the difference in the world."

They then turned their attention back to their daughter, who had begun to climb even higher.

…

That night, Emma found Killian where she found him every night: Sitting beside their daughter's bed, telling her a bedtime story. He never read from a book. No, not this former pirate. He regaled her with stories of his pirating days, the PG versions. He entertained her with stories of all of the adventures he and Emma had together.

But, tonight, as Emma stood in the doorway watching, he pulled out the storybook.

"Shush, shush. It's storytime," he said to her, just as he did every night, even when she silent.

He opened the book and flipped to the page where Emma and Killian were atop the beanstalk the first time. When they had returned from retrieving the sapling, it had appeared in the book. The magical sapling was pictured growing at their feet. And then followed the rest of their love story. Every important moment was now captured in that book.

"Once upon a time," he began, as he pointed at their pictures. "A pirate met a princess. They didn't get along at first, but then the pirate realized how special the princess was. She opened his heart to love again and he opened hers. Yet they faced many obstacles."

He turned the pages and pointed to them saying goodbye in the Underworld.

"But they always overcame them. They always found their way back to each other."

He flipped again and pointed to their reunion in the cemetery.

"You see, they were true love and that meant nothing could ever stop them. They got married."

Killian smiled, as he ran his finger across the picture of his wife in her wedding dress. Emma felt tears begin to pool in her eyes at the memory of that wonderful day.

He turned the page and tapped a picture, as he met their daughter's eyes. "And then they had a beautiful daughter, who was the product of true love."

Ruthie smiled up at her father, the gap in her teeth where she'd just lost her first tooth clearly visible. "That's me!"

Killian smiled. "Aye, love. And that's what makes you so special, just like your mother."

"And they lived happily ever after!" Ruthie declared.

Killian chuckled, as he closed the book. "That's right, sweetheart."

He leaned forward and placed a kiss to her forehead. "Sweet dreams."

He turned the light on the nightstand off and then headed to the doorway where his wife waited.

She offered him a smile. "You really are quite the storyteller."

He cocked an eyebrow. "Just one of my many talents."

Emma wrapped her arm around his waist and placed her head on his shoulder, as he dropped a kiss to her hair.

"Can't argue with that," she said.

And then they headed toward their bedroom, where sparks had been made for years and would for many years to come.

...THE END...

Thanks for reading! I'd appreciate it if you could take a moment to let me know what you thought. ~Steph


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